F-35B BF-17 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti flew F-35B BF-15 (US Navy Bureau Number 168313) on its inaugural 1.2-hour flight on 24 July 2012 from NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas. The aircraft will be assigned to VMFAT-501 at Eglin AFB, Florida.

The Costa Effect hits hard.

You knew this was coming.

Once the beard (Costa) started running LaRue guns, everyone and their mother would be ordering the same one.  It might be time to start calling it the Costa Effect (CE) 'cause Haley's been low profile of late.  Rumor has it that he's transitioning to training only high profile units and individuals...

Anyway, this news is burning up the internet in the gun culture.  You too can owe your very own Costa Edition LaRue Offensive Optimized Battle Rifle!

In memory of Army Sgt. Eric E. Williams...

Don't know the guy but would feel a kinship when we meet in the beyond.

Read about his all too common tragic death here, but take the time out to read his last blogspot here.  If that doesn't touch your heartstrings then you haven't been anywhere or done anything.

The Admiral that called the kettle black!

This guy is a trip!

He's the same person that joined journalist in laughing at an old skool Special Ops General when he told him to stay out of the media and now he's talking about leaks possibly endangering Special Ops guys!

Amazing.  Read it all but check this out.

 Recent national security leaks have put lives at risk and may ultimately cost Americans their lives unless there is an effective crackdown, the head of the Special Operations Command Admiral William McRaven says.

Just plain wow. 

I have never seen a head of Special Operations so in the limelight (this was a forum) and he has the nerve to make this kind of statement!  Geez, please put Special Forces in charge of SOCOM!

Quick Rant. The President did it again.

Sorry guys.  Rant time.

The President did it again.

He grabbed onto a cultural issue when he was getting kicked in the head over economic issues.  The Romney campaign has been making hay over the gaff that the President committed by stating that government builds small businesses.

Polls indicate that he was losing ground because of this issue.

So when he's getting hit over the economy he latches onto a cultural issue to make up ground.  He was losing ground earlier this year and he repealed DADT.  He was getting hit by unemployment news in the Latino and Black communities so he put forth the dream act and an African American studies office.

This might work short term but the 10 ton Gorilla in the room is the economy.  And thats what people will be voting on in November.

Bill trips out.

I first heard about this from BlackFive and didn't want to believe that Bill really made such an ass of himself.

I checked out the video and yep.  B5 was spot on.  But even better the internet is exploding in rage (at least in the gun culture) at how stupid he is.  Since when is an AR-15 or an AK-47 in the same class as a bazooka or a mortar?  Bill is so misinformed that it hurts.

Simply amazing.

On a sidenote, if you're not getting B5's feed you're missing out.  Between McQ, Uncle Jimbo and the Laughing Wolf (not to mention the others) you're getting guys that are really tapped into guys that know what tugs on the heart strings of military, vets and right thinking people.  Check them out.

A General gone bad?

If the allegations against this general is true then he needs to be retired immediately.  This is unsat.

MV-22 Ospreys now in Japan

Sidenote:

1.  I don't know what's going on with Marine Public Affairs but this "experimental" camera work is annoying.  They purposefully fuzz the outlines of the vid?  If that's artistic then I want no parts of it.
2.  With HQMC emphasizing MARSOC at the expense of conventional Fleet Marine Forces, how can we justify the MV-22?  I've been a huge supporter but that was with the thought that FMF would be leading the fight.  If the emphasis for the MEU is to turn to disaster and humanitarian relief then the MV-22 is severe overkill.  Better to give the V-22 to SOCOM and get MH-60's to replace the CH-46.  It would save money, maintenance hours and the MH-60 could still get the job done.